Introduction: Cardiac arrhythmias are a major cause for morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing non-cardiac vascular surgery. Report: An implantable loop recorder (Reveal® XT) was used for continuous heart rhythm monitoring to detect perioperative arrhythmias in a 69-year-old man undergoing major vascular surgery for an infected aortobifemoral prosthesis. The Reveal® detected several episodes of asymptomatic new-onset atrial fibrillation postoperatively, associated with elevated serum levels of troponin-T and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide NT-proBNP). Discussion: Continuous heart rhythm monitoring with assessment of serum cardiac biomarkers may allow early identification and treatment of patients at high risk of perioperative cardiovascular complications, in particular, cardiac arrhythmias.

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doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2010.11.006, hdl.handle.net/1765/23067
European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Winkel, T., Rouwet, E., van Kuijk, J.-P., Voûte, M., de Melis, M., Verhagen, H., & Poldermans, D. (2011). Aortic surgery complications evaluated by an implanted continuous electrocardiography device: A case report. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 41(3), 334–336. doi:10.1016/j.ejvs.2010.11.006